What Millennials Want from Video Ads

Millennials are 112% more likely to share an online video ad than any other demographic, yet most (93%) are also considering using an ad blocker, a new study by Unruly has found.

The video ad tech company surveyed 3,200 internet users from the UK, US, Japan, Australia, Germany, France, Sweden and Indonesia to find out how ads are viewed by millennials, also referred to as Generation Y, in comparison to users from Generations X, Z and ‘boomers’.

As well as being more eager than other groups to share video ads, Gen Y is also 23% more likely to enjoy an ad if they find it relevant.

The study suggests ad sharing will drive better results if brands focus on generating an emotional response, as millennials are generally more inclined to feel happy or inspired by a video.

Love them, loathe them

Despite the fact millennials are more likely to share an ad, they are still striving for a good online experience and half of these respondents (59%) think there are too many adverts.

A huge majority (93%) admitted they are considering downloading ad blockers - tools that would help the group solve some of the issues they have with ad volume. The usage of these is currently at 38% across the world and their adoption continues to rise.

It’s not only the quantity of inventory that poses a problem - this age group also seeks quality. Nearly half of them (49.4%) are tired of seeing the same ads over and over again, and a similar ratio dislikes the brands that follow them on websites (43.1%).

Gen Y is also the group most likely to turn off the sound of an ad, with every four out of five (84%) of the surveyed regularly hitting the mute button. Having such power is important to them and most (63%) want more control over ads.

“High-risk, high-reward”

Taking into account their demands as well as a global spending power of $2.45 trillion, Unruly co-CEO Sarah Wood described ‘digital natives’ as a “high-risk and high-reward demographic”.

Wood stated: “Get it right with this uber-connected audience and you have the potential to unlock widespread reach and powerful advocacy. Get it wrong and they are unforgiving: if you appear inauthentic or interrupt them with ads, they will actively avoid your brand.”

The results of the research are a source of key takeaways for brands in terms of measuring and targeting their audiences, as the challenges posed by millennials also provide huge opportunities.